A New York City police detective and four children were injured in separate shootings in Brooklyn during the Fourth of July holiday weekend.
Detective Robert Karroll from the NYPD Sex Offender Monitoring Unit was shot in the back, protected by his ballistic vest, while engaged with an armed 18-year-old in Crown Heights. This incident occurred early Sunday morning. NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch confirmed the details at a news conference, reporting that Karroll was taken to Kings County Hospital and is expected to recover fully. Another officer involved in the incident sustained facial and shoulder injuries.
Scott Munro, President of the Detectives’ Endowment Association, expressed strong disapproval of the continued violence, emphasizing the dedication of NYPD members to protect New York City’s citizens.
“This has to stop,” Munro stated during a Sunday morning news conference. “Three weeks ago we had a detective shot – in the same hospital. This has to stop. Our members are out there day and night protecting the people of New York City doing a job they took an oath to perform.”
According to Tisch, officers assigned to a mobile field force were parked in an unmarked police vehicle when approached by an individual. The lack of body-worn camera footage has resulted in the circumstances of the approach being unclear.
In a separate incident, four children were among eight people shot in Coney Island. Victims included two men, two women, and four children, ages 14, 12, 7, and 6. Most victims were reported to be in stable condition, while a 21-year-old woman was critically injured.
Regarding the shooting involving officers, Tisch detailed that after exiting their vehicle to confront the suspect, three officers discharged their weapons, but the suspect was not hit. The police vehicle suffered ballistic damage, evidenced by bullet holes.
Subsequently, the suspect fled but was caught after a chase near Rogers Avenue and Union Street. Officers needed to use a taser to subdue him as he resisted arrest. A 9mm firearm was recovered from the suspect.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani expressed relief that Detective Robert Karroll, father of three, was protected by his vest during the shooting.
Commissioner Tisch explained that officers were reassigned to the area as part of the department’s violence reduction plan for the Fourth of July holiday, aiming to reduce crew-related violence.
Investigators are gathering surveillance footage from nearby businesses due to the absence of body-camera video.